Synopsis

Everyone knows that baseball is a game of intricate regulations, but it turns out to be even more complicated than we realize. What truly governs the Major League game is a set of unwritten rules, some of which are openly discussed (don’t steal a base with a big lead late in the game), and some of which only a minority of players are even aware of (don’t cross between the catcher and the pitcher on the way to the batter’s box). In The Baseball Codes, old-timers and all-time greats share their insights into the game’s most hallowed—and least known—traditions. For the learned and the casual baseball fan alike, the result is illuminating and thoroughly entertaining.

At the heart of this book are incredible and often hilarious stories involving national heroes (like Mickey Mantle and Willie Mays) and notorious headhunters (like Bob Gibson and Don Drysdale) in a century-long series of confrontations over respect, honor, and the soul of the game. With The Baseball Codes, we see for the first time the game as it’s actually played, through the eyes of the players on the field.

With rollicking stories from the past and new perspectives on baseball’s informal rulebook, The Baseball Codes is a must for every fan.

From the Trade Paperback edition.

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CUSTOMER REVIEWS

The Baseball Codes

Average rating

5 / 5

A treasure trove

October 7th, 2014

This book is about the unwritten laws in baseball, true, but first and foremost it is about the love for the game. There are many unwritten rules and all rules put forward in this book are accompanied by wonderful anecdotes, that show their validity in the game, but also how interpretations can differ. This book doesn't just put these rules in a context within a game situation, but more importantly in the context of the game itself, why does this rule exist, how has it changed over time. If you like baseball and want to have deeper understanding of the game itself, but also to what can be seen in games today, this book is for you.